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Former Notre Dame defensive lineman Justin Tuck has an ever-lasting love for his alma matter, and that encompasses players like linebacker Manti Te'o, whom he helped recruit to South Bend. But that doesn't mean the New York Giants defensive captain wears blinders when it comes to situations like the one Te'o currently finds himself. In fact, Tuck sees the craziness in the situation just like the rest of us do.

The story hasn't gotten any less crazy as the days wear on. If anything, the tale has gotten even wilder with Te'o admitting to Katie Couric that he lied about certain aspects of his "girlfriend," and even expressing willingness to provide a receipt from 1-800-FLOWERS for her funeral in hopes of proving he was also duped by the hoaxer.

"Obviously for him, like he said, it’s an embarrassing thing. I know Te'o, I helped recruit him and I know that he’s one of the nicest guys I ever met in a football uniform. So I believe him when he says he doesn’t have anything do with it," Tuck said. "He was just that gullible. And I think he’s embarrassed with the fact that he’s just that gullible. That lets you know how nice of a guy he is and how genuinely real of a guy he is."

It's still hard to say whether or not Te'o was aware of this hoax from the start, but it's certainly not an enviable situation either way. And now that Te'o has admitted to lying about it (at least to a certain degree), it begs the question: Why didn't Notre Dame acknowledge that in their initial press release?

Whatever the case may be, this story is a long way from over … and still a long way from the truth. But like Tuck suggests, we must all reserve our judgment until every fact is made public.

Although they are old now let’s not forget Gillbride was at the forefront of the run & shoot while TC was throwing the ball all over the place with his expansion Jags. So they have been very innovative in the past. While I wouldn’t expect huge changes I do expect tweaks offensively. I thought we showed some different things versus Philly and I expect more of those types of things to take advantage of Wilson’s skills.

Defensively, I’m more worried because Fewell hasn’t shown the variations in defense that many of us would like. Though, I think he’s done a good job versus the more dynamic offenses we have faced. It’s seems the average or below average offenses have been more of a problem. If we are going to run Fewell’s scheme we simply have to have good players on every level and almost every position. So instead of adding to our strength at DE we need to improve DT, LB and CB.

I think with a healthy Nicks; re-signing of Bennett, Beatty, Boothe; and the emergence of Wilson/Randle we are pretty set on offense. Yes, we need a RT to set up, hopefully Brewer and some talent in the interior. But most of our draft picks and free agent money (if any) should be spent on defense.

To me the objective is to have two TEs not just one. So if Robinson is ready in 2013 that only adds to what we can do with Bennett. That effects the need for Pascoe and Hynopski playing time more than wanting to re-sign Bennett IMO.

As a general philosophy … the stars of a team have to be able to lift those around them by their play. They have to have that something extra. And they have to deliver. Those are the guys you pay big bucks to keep. The rest … meh.

We have run the Psitol on my younger sons team for the last 2 years. I have no doubt that it is here to stay in the NFL, what wont stay is these QB’s running it 10+ times a game by design (RG3 says hi) as they wont hold up over time. The formation and the design of it though is the future of the NFL. Will every team do it? No, but many wil adapt it, much like the shotgun in the 80′s and the zone blitz in the 90′s.. I LOL’d a couple of times watching the Giants line up in it with my son telling him Gillbride was stealing our playbook

Eli, Nicks, Rolle and JPP. KP and Beatty could also be considered but are free agents. Prince and Joseph could be. Tuck was and maybe could return. Cruz is very good but doesn’t make others better like Nicks. Bennett, maybe could become one with more consistent hands.

The core of the future of this team are Eli, Nicks, Cruz, Wlson, Randle, Beatty, JPP, Prince and Rolle. Those guys HAVE to be kept and built around. Everyone else is either replaceable or nearing the downside of their career. If not for the chronic Knee I’d put KP on that list as well

I left out Wilson and Randle but they should be included. I think Joseph may be more important than Cruz. We need at least two good DTs and Canty is likely not part of the future. while Kuhn and Austin right now look like nothing more than rotation players.

I got slammed for it several months ago but I will continue to say that keeping both Nicks and Cruz may not be realistic. Cruz proving not to be a #1 and Nick’s durability may help lower their value to a level we can keep both but it will still be hard.

The Panthers may be forced to cut Chris Gamble because he is one of the few players that they can cut and actually save a solid chunk of cap space. If Gamble is cut I would not mind trying to sign him. We have had a lot of good battles with the Panthers and we could use the corner help. He might take less to play since he would still be getting money from the Panthers and I am not sure if there would be a big market for him.

I also saw that Deihl would save around 4 mi in cap space. I assume that cutting Diehl and T2 would get us under the cap enough to give us some breathing room to make a move.

Somehow I don’t see Eli running the Pistol ala RGIII, Kapernic or Wilson. In fact, I don’t see Eli running at all. Not even close to a match.

Having two backs each able to block and run would be so old, that it would appear new. But then guess what? Running backs would once again become a valued commodity. Especially if you did not have an athletic QB who can also read defenses and throw the roc.

Actually, devaluating running backs only exists in the minds of the football challenged. Common football knowledge indicates you must have the ability to run the ball.

Thinking running backs simply fall off trees is equally moronic. Just as thinking that throw, throw, throw wins titles is kind of dumb. If you need further proof, just ask Brady, Breese Peyton Manning and Rodgers where it’s gotten them lately?

The trick is balance and timing. That’s what Coughlin believes in. So those of us who worship at the feet of “Saint Tom” should already fully understand that. And the results speak for themselves. When the Giants are able to run and play action they rule because that approach allows Eli to shine.

It all starts with linemen who can flatten people and firmly establish that they will run the ball the length of the field unless you load the scrimmage line with defenders in an attempt to stop them.

Once the defense responds, the Elite QB’s (Eli) carve them like Christmas turkeys. This just in, you also need an outstanding front seven to prevent the other guys from doing on to you.

Rodgers had a 15 win season and now like 4 consective trips to the playoffs with one superbowl win

Peyton Manning won a superbowl a while back and then went to another

Brees I believe as always had a solid run game

Eli Manning and the Giants won a superbowl with a poor running game last year. I think when you said you need a “balenced approach you were correct. Both the Packers and Giants won superbowls with poor run games that picked up in the postseason. I think you can definitely win superbowls riding the arms of a QB however you need to have a solid complimentary run game as well. As for the running backs are a dime a dozen thing, see Mike Shannahan

The last 9 SBs have been won by Eli, Peyton, Brady, Big Ben, Rodgers and Brees. When is the last great RB that won the SB? Of course you need the running game but mearly enough to keep the other team honest. Even though both SF and Bmore have top RBs they won due to their QB play in the playoffs. The 2007 formula is not something we are reverting back to. If anything our formula would be like the Pats this year that threw the ball a lot but were 8th in the NFL in running yards.

RBs do kind of come from nowhere. Look at Bradshaw, Foster, Morris as some recent examples.

“Manti Te’o isn’t the only football player who’s been fooled online by someone posing as a woman who wants to develop a relationship.

At least four players on the Redskins were duped during the 2012 season by a person posing as a woman who was sending them messages online and hoping to meet them in person, Jeff Darlington of NFL.com reports. Players attempted to meet her in person but nothing ever came of those meetings.”

Anyway … the reason I asked about ‘stars’ is that they are THE only guys we should be spending any real cap money on. Everyone else is an after-thought.

This I believe is where teams ruin their chances. Paying substantial dollars to average … even above average … players cripples you cap-wise, and prevents a team from signing guys who could actually help.

Better off rolling the dice on rookies than dropping $4-5 mil on a solid-but-unspectacular veteran.